Over time, increased forest-fragmentation leads to subdivision of populations, higher vulnerability to disturbances, alterations of species interactions and ultimately extinction. Forest 'interior species' increasingly suffer edge effects when forest area is reduced, for example: changes in micro-climate (sunlight, wind, moisture etc); invasions by alien species; alterations of species interactions (predation, herbivory, pollinator competition, nest competition); and increased human pressure (noise, pets, hunting). On the other hand, increasing amounts of forest edge potentially favours species adapted to edge habitats.....
In Europe, in contrast to the relatively small changes in total forest land area, the spatial dynamics in mosaics of core forest stands in
different development stages is quite significant even over a short time period.